Meet Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the UNRWA

The Geneva press club invites you to a meeting with :

• Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the UNRWA

Moderation by Isabelle Falconnier, Director of the Geneva press club, and Luisa Ballin, UN-accredited journalist.

Welcome with refreshments from 11:45.

To participate, please register using the following link:

(Registration is mandatory)

The Geneva press club opens its fall season by hosting Philippe Lazzarini. In what state of mind does the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, who has been facing turmoil for the past two years, heading into the new year? How does he view the current humanitarian aid distribution in Gaza? Now banned from accessing Gaza and the occupied territories by the Israeli government, how can the agency still provide assistance to Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria? How can the UN regain its role as an active player in Gaza?

The agency, originally established in 1949 as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East to provide services in education, health, and sanitation, has seen its budget drastically reduced and is now facing an extremely strained financial situation. What would be the consequences of a collapse of the agency that aids Palestinian refugees?

After heated debates in Parliament, Switzerland allocated 10 million Swiss francs to UNRWA this spring, a sum similar to the previous year, as well as an additional 1 million francs to strengthen the agency and implement recommendations from the Colonna report aimed at improving its governance. Can Switzerland do more?

Philippe Lazzarini, born in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1964, has been leading UNRWA since 2020, following a 30-year career in humanitarian aid and international coordination in conflict and post-conflict zones within the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the private sector. What are his current hopes and objectives for UNRWA?

THE MEETING WITH PHILIPPE LAZZARINI WILL BE PRECEDED AT 10:30 AM BY A SCREENING OF THE DOCUMENTARY FILM “UNRWA, 75 YEARS OF A TEMPORARY STORY” BY LYANA SALEH AND NICOLAS WADIMOFF.